So we’re going to go a different direction and turn it into a “brushes with greatness” (or semi-greatness) thread. Here’s Paul:
I, Paul DerHagopian, like a number of MSTies, have obtained autographs from the show’s cast and writers, but I’ve also gotten autographs from people involved in the movies featured on the show.
I got my MST3k Amazing Colossal Episode Guide book signed back at Gateway Con 2000 in St. Louis, by Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Mary Jo Pehl, and Bill Corbett (Corbett wrote “subbing for Trace” as he joined the show after the book was written). I’ve also got an MST3k Sci-Fi Channel poster signed by Nelson, Murphy, Corbett, Pehl, and Patrick Brantseg sold by the MST3k Info Club after the series ended. Back in 2010, I purchased the Volume XVI DVD with Tom Servo figurine signed by Kevin Murphy and the XIX DVD with Gypsy figurine signed by Jim Mallon. I’ve also got The Crawling Eye episode mini poster signed by Joel Hodgson that was included when I pre-ordered the XVII DVD from Newbury Comics.
I’ve also paid to have Tia Carrere and Adam West from Zombie Nightmare to sign my MST3k Volume XV DVD containing that episode, as well as the min poster. You can see my video encounters with them on YouTube. I got Tia Carrere to lampoon her “This is a big garage” dialog line by writing “This is a big DVD set!” on my copy, while Adam West just personalized it to me. Carrere also gave me a free complementary music CD of hers, too.
Tia Carrere, Adam West.
I’ve also met Alan Oppenheimer, who played Dr. Hale in “Riding With Death.” I brought the official, commercial release of the uncut version of that work on VHS for him to sign. I brought and 8×10 screen capture of him from the episode when I approached his table, surprising him, as he claims he’s never heard of MST3k and was unaware he was on the show, having completely forgotten about his appearance on the Gemini Man TV series from which Riding With Death was compiled from.
Here’s my footage with Alan Oppenheimer. Two words…patent papers.
I also paid Fred “The Hammer” Williamson for a photo op and to have him sign my Warrior of the Lost World episode mini postern from the XVI DVD set. I got him to lampoon his dialog from that film that he delivers to Robert Ginty “You’ve been chosen…like King Arthur”.
I got him to write: “You have been chosen to receive this.” — Fred “The Hammer” Williamson
I’ve also met Herschell Gordon Lewis, the producer of Monster a Go-Go. I first met him back in 2010, where he signed my MST3k Volume 8 DVD, writing: “The most monstrous aspect is the plot. You won’t find my name on this. Once you see the movie, you’ll know why”–Herschell Gordon Lewis
This year at Florida SuperCon, I brought the 2010 special edition DVD of the uncut version of Monster a Go-Go for him to sign, as well as another copy of the MST3k Volume 8 DVD for him to sign for my friend. On that copy he wrote: “No monster, but the whole thing is monstrous!”–Herschell Gordon Lewis.
The footage of my 2nd encounter with Herschell Gordon Lewis, on being asked if people know him for producing Monster a Go-Go, widely considered one of the worst movies ever made: “No, not really, and I certainly hope they don’t put that on my tombstone when I die.”
You can see my photos here.
I also have an autographed copy of Bert I. Gordon’s book, that I purchased from his website on his 90th birthday, as well as a DVD copy of The Giant Spider Invasion signed by its director, Bill Rebane, purchased from his website. I’ve also got a signed photo from the cast of Cinematic Titanic purchased from their website. In addition, I’ve got a reproduction of a newspaper article that I wrote as a child writer at the age of 15 back in 1999 for The Miami Herald’s arts section when the show began its final season that Barb Tebben got signed for me by the cast and writers.
I even have a DVD copy of Kevin Murphy and Jim Mallon’s precursor work to MST3k, Blood Hook, signed by the president of that film’s distributor, Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Entertainment.
Wow, that is quite a collection.
I’ve have lots of celebrity encounters over the years, (I’ve talked on the phone with Weird Al, Tom Lehrer and George Lowe, the guy who did the voice of Space Ghost, among others). But here are two of my favorites.
I met Jack Gilford once–this was the late ’70s. He was starring in a summer stock version of “Damn Yankees.” He was in his dressing room during intermission. He was hot and sweaty. The friend who’d brought me back stage introduced me and I followed up by saying (I was part of a comedy group at the time) that I was a struggling comedian. For the first time, he seemed to suddenly became aware of me. Gilford looked at me, gave me that patented eye twinkle and said “Yeah, kid, so am I.” Of course the three or four hangers on in the room laughed robotically. “Very funny, Mr. Gilford…”
I also met James Doohan, toward the end of his life. He was at a scifi convention in St. Louis. He was thin and haggard but really enjoyed talking to fans. Some jackass pulled a fire alarm that night, and the poor guy had to walk down several flights of stairs and stand in his robe in the hot parking lot waiting with the rest of us to be let back in. People quickly rushed to find him something to sit on. I always wondered how many days that took off his life.
What’s your story?
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Met the CT crew in Philly and got stuff signed. Still wear the Alien Factor shirt they signed, although all the autographs have faded off.
I think I have Adam West’s signature somewhere from a convention in Vegas in the 80’s.
As for non-MST people, I could talk about the professional wrestlers I have met over the years, but since 99% of you wouldn’t care (Laura, her of the Chris Jericho avatar being the exception), I shant speak of these things.
For my MST3K encounter, I actually knew one of the actors in Blood Waters of Dr. Z (or ZAAT, its original title). Part of the film was shot very close to where I grew up, and the mother of a friend of mine had a small part in the film. She’s Carol Thompson, and she played the reporter in the “mod pantsuit”. I remember my friends and I were really excited to see it in the theatre when it first came out in the early ’70’s, but we just found it confusing and weird. She was really nice, as I recall, but unfortunately she and her family moved away soon afterward and I lost touch with them.
I’ve had a couple of fairly long-distance non-MST3K encounters. I’ve never met Robin Williams, but I was able to buy the certificate he got along with his Grammy for Best Comedy Album for Reality…What a Concept. I found it in a memorabilia shop at Disney MGM Studios (now Disney Hollywood Studios). I’m a huge fan, so that was a thrill for me.
Finally, I saw OJ Simpson in a hotel lobby in Fort Lauderdale. I just pretended I didn’t seem him and walked out.
Trickymutha: in fact, I LIKE your cynical side, and I should have perceived that it was only an aspect of your post.
You still the coolest.
When I worked at a record store back in the 90s, I held the door open for Lisa Loeb before realizing it was Lisa Loeb. I was too dumbstruck to say anything.
I saw Kurt Vonnegut speak at Duke, and he signed my copy of Slaughterhouse Five. I knew better than to ask him to dinner :)
My wife used to give private tours of Duke’s Lemur Center, and has met Connie Chung, nearly every member of Aerosmith, Lauren Hutton, and several more. I happened to be visiting her the day Chuck Jones was there, and she wouldn’t let me approach him. He died less than a year later. She still hasn’t lived that one down. The lemur shirt autographed by Adam West was a nice gesture, though.
And last March, I totally got all the Titans to sign my copy of CT’s SCCTM, as well as a picture of me and Joel (I wanted a picture with all of them, but I was trying not to hold up and already long and slow-moving line).
Oh, and one of my best friends can be briefly seen selling a cd to one of the characters in an episode of Dawson’s Creek. He says he didn’t get to speak to any of the actors, though. They just took over his store for most of a day.
Got some autographed cds, videotapes and UHF on dvd signed by Weird Al Yankovic
Got 2 Beast Wars dvds signed by Gary Chalk and David Kaye (BW Primal & Megatron voices, respectively)
Have Transformers #80 signed by Simon Furman and Andrew Wildman.
But, unfortunately, nothing MST3K related.
i met weird al at six flags in st louis in 1992. I met grace lee whitney from star trek in a elavator in california. I didn’t say anything she looked really really angry. I once met the pro wrestler honkey tonk man my mother worked with a guy who went to high school with him. i also met star trek actors at a autograph convention at l.a.
i met micheal keaton in a mall in st louis. i was surprised how short he is. he was in st louis visiting his son who was going to college.
#4 I saw James Doohan at Southern Miss in 1977 when talk of the movie was starting. He spoke for an hour and a half, gregarious, happy, and everyone loved it. Someone asked him how the tractor beams worked and he gave an incredibly detailed explanation. Finally someone asked what everyone was hoping; we knew him so much from his role as Scotty, could he please give us a few words from Scotty in the days of Star Trek?
He smiled big, thought a second, then said “CAPTAIN, WE HAVE TO BACK DOWN ON THE WARP SPEED! THE CRYSTALS CAN’T STAND THE STRAIN!!”
We laughed, cheered, and gave him a standing O!
As far as MST goes I have an autographed copy of Mike’s Death Rat novel, a DVD autographed by Mike of his solo riff for Carnival of Souls, the MST Sci-fi era poster autographed by the cast, and I got my Amazing Colossal Episode Guide signed by Trace, Josh, Mary Jo, Frank, and Joel at one of the CT shows. In 1995 I met Dustin Diamond (Screech from Saved by the Bell) at the Whiskey a Go-Go club in L.A. My friend and I went there b/c The Doors had played there and he had a weird rap act and we talked to him for about a minute after the show outside the club. Once when I was in London I walked past George Lucas. I thought ‘hey that guy looks familiar’ and then a couple minutes later I realized who he was. I was an extra in Miss Congeniality. I was one of the audience members for the beauty pageant scenes. William Shatner, who played the pageant host, was so nice. I didn’t actually get to talk to him or anything but inbetween takes and during breaks in the filming he kept the extras entertained by telling jokes and fun stories and they raffled off prizes and he and Sandra Bullock (who also seemed very nice) handed them out. It was a lot of fun. I did get to talk to the director, Donald Petrie, a few minutes. He was walking around during our lunch break asking us if we were having a good time and he was very nice. My favorite celebrity encounter was getting to meet Gary Cooper’s only child, Maria Cooper Janis, in New York in 2008. He is my very favorite actor and she was going to be giving a lecture about him at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then the next day there were screening a few of his films. I have an email penpal friend who is a film historian and he lives in New York and is friends with Maria and when I told him I was coming out there he introduced me to her after the lecture. We talked for about 20-25 minutes and I got her to autograph my copy of the book she wrote about him (mostly a picture book with some personal stories thrown in). I also got my picture taken with her and I was just on cloud nine. She was so nice and down to earth and really happy that a young person (I was 31) knew about and loved her father.
A friend and i went to a special screening of “You, Me, and everyone we Know.” It was a part of a series of films and discussion events hosted by Kevin. We weren’t interested in the discussion event that followed the film, but we did want to try to meet Kevin. We went in the theatre and sat in the back row. Kevin and about 30-40 people sat in the front before the film and talked about what they were to see. I was happy to see kevin walk to the back row as the film started and sat right next to us. I felt like I was Mike, with Servo on my right and my buddy on the left! We even had a few moments to riff during the film. Afterwards we shook Kevin’s hand and went to the Mall of America to see “Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy,” the former being much more fun!
Back in 1974 I was finishing up college as a broadcasting/film major and journalism minor (working for free on the school rag, natch), and got to interview Vincent Price when he came to speak.
Very nice guy, classy as all get-out, erudite, and most important, very kind to a star-stuck kid such as I was at the time. When I asked him what his favorite film was (figuring he’d say it was one of Corman’s Poe works), he surprised me, saying it was “Theater of Blood.” “Why?” I asked. His smile was chillingly mocking. “I don’t know. I guess I just like the way Shakespeare kills people.”
All in all, a perfect confluence of fan meeting favorite actor evah.
As an aside, Price was very tall, with monstrous hands. The better for throttling necks, I suppose.
#60: I was in the fourth grade in 1974, so I wasn’t going to be meeting Vincent Price (although I was already watching his movies)–or at least I wouldn’t have been able to have an intelligent conversation with him if I had. You really nailed Vincent Price as the kind of guy I always hoped he was. And what a PERFECT response to your question about why he liked Theatre of Blood!
I am envious–in a GOOD way! :-)
#60 and 61-Around Halloween in 2011 a local theater had a screening of The Tingler with a presentation by his daughter Victoria. I had gone to a burrito place next door for eats beforehand, and a lady who was on a cell phone the entire time was explaining to the staff that she had ordered no cheese on hers. From her height alone, I wondered if she was Victoria, and then found out I was right later. She told lots of lovely and funny tales about her dad, and confirmed that Theater Of Blood was his favorite of his films, although he was prouder of his theater performances as Oscar Wilde in later years. She said up front that she’s not a horror fan herself, and seemed a bit amused by her dad’s fans. Catch her show if you can, a lovely tribute to a one-of-a-kind. :)
I collect autographs so I’ve met a lot of celebrities and musicians over the years. But the wildest, most surprising one was when I was on a road trip with my wife out West a couple of summers ago, and after spending the day hiking with my friend, he took us to a place he liked to eat at, and who should happen to be there? Harrison Ford. I have the picture and the autograph to prove it!
Most recent one was Jamie Lee Curtis this past weekend at a horror convention.
MST3K-wise, I’ve met almost everyone I’ve wanted to meet, a couple of times for some of them, but have yet to meet Mike. I met Kevin at a book signing several years back. I met the Cinematic Titanic crew after one of their shows, and then at Dragon Con two years ago I met Trace and Frank again. Then, at that same Dragon Con, out of just dumb luck, I walked past Bill in a lobby and he was gracious enough to stop and sign some autographs and take a picture. I’ve met Bill and Kevin again when they were in town doing an opening act for John Hodgman. Now if only I could get Mike’s autograph, my MST3K collection would be complete and I can get it framed. The only problem is, he never seems to be anywhere other than SDCC or at the live Rifftrax shows in Tennessee, which I’ve tried to get tickets to, but they always sell out before I can get them! Maybe one day. . .
Like many, I met the CT crew after a show in Atlanta. Was really struck by how nice all of them were and how willing they were to sign stuff and take pictures and all. Not only did I get everyone’s autographs but also got a great photo of me, Joel, and Frank.
My wife and I worked in newspapers for a while near Mobile, Alabama. During that time, I interviewed Richard Tyson, who was the bad guy in Kindergarten Cop and had a small part in There’s Something about Mary. I interviewed him over a meal at the Original Oyster House in Mobile. He was accompanied by his girlfiend at the time, who happened to be Kris Kristofferson’s daughter. Thought that was pretty neat.
Here’s the kicker though: my wife interviewed David Shark, who at the time was filming SOULTAKER! When my wife saw the movie on MST3K, she said there really wasn’t much distinction between Shark and his character, Brad. I love that my wife had a brush with MST3K greatness.
Other than that, I tried out for Jeopardy in Mobile. While the people were scoring the tests, Alex Trebek came out and talked to us, which I thought was cool.
Met David Newell, who played Mr. McFeely on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood when I was kid. Still have the autographed photos I got from him that day.
Met Jon Pertwee, who played the third Doctor in Doctor Who, as part of a traveling Doctor Who exhibit back in either 1987 or 88. Very nice guy. I loved the fact that he hated the photo I had him sign, so he drew a mustache on his own face along with the personalized signature. Now that he’s passed, I’m happy I have it.
Went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame a year or so ago. We were standing in line or tickets when an older gentleman behind me commented on my Troy Polamalu jersey. Took me a minute to figure out that it was Hall of Famer Len Dawson. I thought it was really cool when he said he had come just “to take a look at his bust.”
Finally, after a concert, I got to meet Paul Westerberg of the Replacements (a famed band from Minneapolis and one of Mike’s favs) during solo tour. I had him sign a concert poster. Here’s what’s weird, the Beatles’ Rubber Soul was blaring from his tour bus. What had I been listening on the way to the concert? RUBBER SOUL! I told him that and he said something like “Well, great musical minds think alike.” Pretty cool.
During my work in newspapers, I did a lot of sports reporting and covered some Atlanta Braves games. Met a lot of players, but I won’t list them all. However, I did go to the grand opening at Turner Field and sat right next to Jane Fonda while Ted Turner was giving a speech. Man, she was hot for her age!
Only one, but man. I know comic legend George Perez. And I knew George for a good two years before I knew he was THE George Perez. I met him through my wife knowing his wife (both bellydancers), and for those two years I had no idea, only that he was some kind of artist. Which is probably why I didn’t geek completely out when I found out (after all, I already knew the guy!) and probably also why when I did start talking to him about his work, he treated me like an interested friend. Then again, George is a very friendly guy, might not have mattered if I recognized him the moment I met him and ran over and asked him to sign my Teen Titans Underoos.
#41, Don’t know. I even asked Kevin to ask Mike to unblock me when I spoke with him in that chat.
I am two degrees removed from Joel – my best friend dated a writer/DJ who corresponded with him for a book. So there’s that.
@64 Meeting any Doctor is on the same level as meeting a Brain for me, so that’s awesome, and Pertwee was a top five Doctor for me till the modern show, and I still like him (but I’m mostly a “splendid chaps, all of them” fan, just like I hold Joel and Mike in equal esteem). I also got some blunt but not unkind feedback on my casting ideas for the show from one of my favorite Who novelists, David MacIntee, back when I posted on the infamous rec.arts Who group. He liked my suggestions of David Warner as the Doctor and Tim Curry as the Master, but howled in pain at suggesting Jonathan Frakes for the latter (what can I say, I was a Gargoyles fan). He probably took it easy on me because I said he was the only Virgin writer who “got” the Master, my favorite villain.
On a direct level the best I can manage is directing Chris Kattan from SNL (one of the Wakabi Brothers – just bob your head to Haddaway’s What Is Love and you’ll get the idea) to the corskscrews at a grocery store I worked at.
Oh yeah, and I got into a flamewar with Howard Stern wack-pack member Melrose Larry Green on the Prodigy Stern boards, and everyone took my side because, well, it was Melrose Larry Green. Who? Exactly.
I’ve met Ted V. Mikels a few times, because I have a weird obsession with all things GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS, thanks to MST3K.
I’ve posted my gigantic collection of GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS stuff on my blog.
http://mylittleundergroundblog.blogspot.com/search/label/girl%20in%20gold%20boots
I met Trace years ago in Hollywood when he was promoting his comic Here Come the Big People. He signed my two copies of the comic I bought, and I told him how awesome to meet someone from MST3K. Very nice guy and i hope to meet other cast members from the show.
I also have been to the Best Brains Studios, they were closed though but peek through the front window and saw the Daktari Stool at the entrance. Also on a visit to Hawaii I parked our rental car and got to see the church that was at the beginning of Code Name Diamond Head (where agent Regular Guy was killed)I told my wife that church was in Diamond Head, she didn’t really care but I was all excited.
Can’t believe I forgot that I do, in fact, have TWO brushes with MST3K . . . I went to grad school with Tigh Rickman, who had a letter read on the show (forget which episode; but all these years later, he still has his Fan Club Card in his wallet) and Bix Skahill, who is riffed in the credits of the MST3K movie as “Bix Skahill and his big band!” Apparently, he was not happy with this, but seriously, what did he expect? He worked on MST3K: The Movie. This should not have come as a shock to him.
Both are nice guys, and we all still keep in touch.
I’ve met a few famous people over my many years…one of my first encounters was probably the most memorable (since I was and still am a huge Queen fan) happened in August 1982 after seeing Queen play live in Detroit. Billy Squier was the opener, and after a great show my friend and I went to a nearby bar to rehash the concert. After a few cocktails she mentioned that most bands stayed at the Hyatt Regency (not far from where we were drinking) when they were in town, wouldn’t it be fun to meet Queen?
It was around 2AM when we planted ourselves in a couple of overstuffed lobby chairs and waited for we knew not what exactly. There was a quartet of girls pacing around, carrying a homemade Queen banner, but no other activity. Around 2:30 Billy Squier entered the lobby from outside and the banner girls ran up to him. One of Billy’s entourage held up a warning hand and said “Please, girls, it’s been a long day.” Mr. Squier and company continued to the elevator without further comment. My friend and I were having second thoughts….we hadn’t planned on band members being cranky and not wanting to meet fans. We dithered for another hour or so and just when we had decided this was a waste of time a limo pulled up and Freddie Mercury and entourage exited the vehicle and entered the hotel. It was around 4:30AM; if Billy was tired, Freddie was probably exhausted. The squealing banner fangirls dashed up to Freddie and I cringed inwardly, waiting for them to be rebuffed. Instead, Freddie’s assistants just stood apart and Freddie spoke to the girls: “Have you been waiting for me? It’s very late, you know.” As he signed their banner they asked him if he’d seen it during the show (yeah, right, in the balcony of Joe Louis Arena) and he replied “Yes, of course. Did you make this yourselves?” He was SO DARNED NICE. I couldn’t believe it – Freddie, in my mind, a waaay huger star than Billy Squier and who had worked a later and longer show, would’ve been justified in the “long day” excuse, but no, here he was not only signing autographs but also making polite conversation. When Banner Girls were done, my friend and I shyly approached him and he agreed to pose for a photo. I searched through my purse for something he could autograph and the only thing I could find was the memo pad that came with my wallet. He quickly signed his name and the date and I timidly asked “Could you put my name on it, too?” I can still see the quizzical look he gave me as he said “Well, I can’t unless you tell me your name, can I, dear?” After a few more minutes of idle chat (about the show and his then-new mustache) he asked the group “Anything else?” We all thanked him and then he actually *thanked us*…! before disappearing into the elevator.